I have found some sleep journals around the web and created my own spreadsheet based on these to track what is going on with me. to try and figure out the causes and what is working the best to alleviate my symptoms. You can download my spreadsheet for your own personal use on Google Docs here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z3fzmm2z-g0WhpH9sJ--fS6sB2VsLWeGH6Vv_Wv5_Sk/
Feel free to edit it for your needs and pass it on to others.
I also highly recommend getting some sort of an electronic sleep tracker. The majority are also activity trackers during the day time, so added bonus! You don't have to spend a fortune on one. Seriously! None of them are entirely accurate. You would have to sleep with all the electrodes and such attached to you every night like in a sleep study to get true results! Keep in mind that most trackers are based on movement, and that is also determined by where the tracker is located, so it's not likely to pick up all your jerks and twitches, or even all your awakenings, etc. However, having something that generally shows when you went to sleep, when you woke up, how long you slept, and your light and deep sleep helps to see how your sleep changes over time, and to track it in the above spreadsheet.
I personally use the Jawbone Up Move. It's cheap, and you can clip it on any part of your clothing or put the disc in your pocket. I actually wear mine on my bra during the day! I dislike wearing bracelets, and those tend to be the more expensive ones. It syncs to an app on your phone. You hold down the button to tell it when you are going to sleep, and you hold it down again when you wake up. You are supposed to wear it on your wrist at night, and there is a band that you can buy separately for that. But I find that the disc is hard to get in and out of the clip, so I just wear a loose rubber hair band around my wrist and clip it to to that! It's been a great help to me in seeing just how my sleep went. I will be honest though, sometimes it doesn't register when I have woken up because I didn't wave my hand around in the air, so there's the flaw!
Now if you are not opposed to wearing something around your wrist, there are some that track heart rate too and even sense when you go to sleep and wake up, so you don't have to click a button like on the Up Move. I don't know if they are any more accurate, but that may be an extra perk to you!
There are also some non-wearable sleep trackers, that have sensors that go on your bed. Most are more expensive, and I have no idea how reliable they are, but if you don't really care about tracking any activity during the day and/or want to try to get some more detailed information about your sleep without having to wear any gadgets, They might be worth it to you. Take a look at these ones:
DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional. This is for informational purposes only. Please consult a licensed physician or medical expert before following any advice or treatment plan.
Some links, but not all, are affiliate links, in which, if you click through or make a purchase, I may receive a percentage a commission. These have been included to assist me with the maintenance and time spent keeping this blog and forum running and up-to-date. Your support is greatly appreciated. And again remember, I am not a medical professional, so I do not personally endorse any product linked on this site or in the forum.
No comments:
Post a Comment